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When life gets busy (and when isn’t it?), a meal replacement smoothie can totally save the day. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, post-workout fuel—you name it. With the right mix of ingredients, a smoothie can easily replace a meal and still keep you feeling full, satisfied, and energized. Let’s talk about how to do it right.
Table of Contents
Why Smoothies Make Great Meal Replacements
Our bodies crave nutrients all day long, not just when we sit down for a “traditional” meal. A balanced smoothie made with leafy greens, fruit, and whole-food boosters can be one of the easiest ways to flood your body with nutrients—without the heaviness or bloat that sometimes comes from cooked meals.
Here’s what happens when you replace a meal with a thoughtfully blended smoothie:
- Steady energy: The natural sugars in fruit paired with protein and fat help prevent that mid-morning crash.
- Hydration boost: Blending with water, almond milk, or coconut water keeps your cells hydrated.
- Less bloating: Fiber and hydration work together to support digestion.
- Supports healthy weight: You’re fueling your body with nutrient-dense ingredients, not empty calories.
- Quick + convenient: You can blend one in under 5 minutes—and take it on the go.
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How to Turn a Smoothie into a Complete Meal
The key to transforming your smoothie from a snack into a satisfying meal? Balance. When you include all three, your body feels nourished, your cravings stay quiet, and your blood sugar stays balanced. A true meal replacement smoothie needs:
- Fiber (from fruits, veggies, or oats)
- Healthy fats (for staying power)
- Protein (for muscle repair and long-lasting fullness)
Step 1: Choose a Plant-Based Protein
Plant-based proteins keep your body full and give you tons of energy. They also help repair your muscles, which is perfect for that post-workout buzz. Oh, kale to the yeah! Protein helps your smoothie go the distance. Look for sources that blend smoothly and digest easily:
- Homemade protein powder (16g per ¼ cup)
- Hemp hearts (8g protein per 3 tbsp)
- Chia seeds (5g per 2 tbsp)
- Rolled oats (3g per ¼ cup)
- Silken tofu (10g per ½ cup)
- Plant-based protein powder brands (15g +)
Step 2: Add Healthy Fats
Don’t skip the fats—they’re key for brain health, hormone balance, and that rich, creamy texture you love.
- ¼ avocado
- 1 tbsp almond or peanut butter
- 1 tbsp coconut oil or MCT oil
- 2 tbsp chia or flax seeds
Step 3: Load Up on Fiber + Greens
Fiber keeps you full and supports digestion—plus it’s one of the most underrated nutrients for weight management.
- Spinach, kale, Swiss chard or other leafy greens (2 cups = 4g fiber)
- Oats or cooked sweet potato (add creaminess + slow-digesting carbs)
- Apples or pears with the skin on (extra fiber and antioxidants)
Dietary Adjustments & Substitutions
Need to swap an ingredient or accommodate a food allergy? Click the button below for tailored suggestions just for you:
Sample Meal Replacement Smoothie Boosts
You can explore any of my Meal Replacement Smoothie Recipes or use one of these combos to upgrade your next smoothie into a satisfying meal:
| Combo | Ingredients | Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Power Green Boost | 2 tbsp hemp hearts + ¼ avocado | Smooth, nutty flavor + balanced macros |
| Protein + Fat Fuel | 2 tbsp homemade protein powder + 1 tbsp coconut oil | Great for post-workout recovery |
| Fiber Lover | 1 tbsp almond butter + 2 tbsp rolled oats | Keeps you full for hours |
| Supercharged Energy | 2 tbsp chia seeds + 2 oz silken tofu | Omega-3s + plant protein |
| Creamy Dreamy Blend | 2 tbsp chia seeds + 1 tbsp coconut oil | Thick, creamy, and satisfying |
Meal Replacement Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup kale or spinach
- 1 cup almond milk unsweetened
- 1 cup blueberries frozen
- 1 banana
- 1 tablespoon almond butter
- 2 tablespoon rolled oats
Instructions
- Blend kale and almond milk until smooth in a high speed blender.
- Add remaining ingredients, and blend until smooth.
Video
Helpful Tools
Notes
- Use a frozen fruit to make smoothie cold
- Swap out almond milk for any non-dairy milk you prefer.
- Add a scoop of homemade protein powder to boost it with 16g plant-based protein.
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review for a chance to win signed copies of my cookbooks!Common Questions
Any time that fits your lifestyle is the right time for a smoothie. In the morning, it’s a quick way to jump-start your day with leafy greens, citrus, and plant protein for steady energy. At lunch, blend something heartier—like oats and nut butter—to stay full and focused through the afternoon. After a workout, aim for protein and electrolytes (think coconut water and banana) to help your body recover.
If you’re feeling hungry an hour later, add more protein or fat next time. If you feel sluggish or too full, cut back a bit on the oats or nut butter. It’s all about finding your personal “just right” blend.
They can be, especially when you focus on whole, unprocessed ingredients. Smoothies naturally help with portion control, reduce refined sugar intake, boost nutrient density, and keep you hydrated and energized. When made right, they help you fuel your body—not starve it. If your goal is to gently reset or lose weight, my 21-Day Cleanse is a great place to start. It includes two smoothies a day, balanced snacks, and nourishing meals designed to help you feel full, satisfied, and confident in what your body really needs.
You can! Blend it the night before, store it in a sealed jar in the fridge, and give it a shake before drinking. It’ll stay fresh for up to 24 hours.
I would love to try this but would you suggest replacing the oatmeal with? See I don’t consume any grains or sugar (only natural from the food), so not sure if I should just leave out the oats.
Also I have been enjoying the green smoothies and my 3 yr old grandson is loving them as well. So thanks for providing a healthy and complete natural drink.
Hey Mrs. E,
Feel free to leave out the oats. 🙂
Hi there,
I am just wanting to clarify in regards to the breakfast smoothies we have on the 21 day cleanse. These are used as breakfast so I am assuming they are a meal replacement, are you saying if I was to have another smoothie throughout the day as another meal replacement we should add the boosters or should we also be adding them to the breakfast smoothies from the fast that is the only thing we are having for breakfast. I hope that makes sense.
Thanks.
I was wondering that as well. I went ahead and made this smoothie this morning and I am going to easily make to my lunch smoothie without snacking. Very filling!
Hey Michelle + Heather.
We suggest that if you would like to replace a meal to consume 16oz + plant based protein for any smoothie that you make. This one is even more filling because it include rolled oats. If you would like a snack serving, consume 8oz. Does this answer your question?
I’m wondering the same thing, because I have everything at home to make this!
What are you wondering, Rosario?
Can I substitute kale with spinach? And substitute almond butter with chasew butter?
Yes & Yes, those are both great substitutions.
I just made this bc I had everything on hand. Oh my goodness, it is very, very yummy. I hope it’s filling too!
YAY! Glad you enjoyed it!
If you’re allergic to nuts how do u replace almond butter?
Shanna, you can use Sunflower seed butter or even tahini I would imagine!
Great tips, Maya!
Coconut butter is delish if you like coconuts and do not have any sensitivity to them. I have not tried sunflower seed butter but I have tried tahini and thought it was really gross. Maybe I just got a bad brand but it was the most expensive one on the shelf at whole foods:-(. Good luck
Hello, I was wondering how do you make it just for one person? It seems that I have a lot left over and my little boy is slowly getting into the smoothies I have been trying out. He’s still kind of hesitant why it’s so green…So I was wondering how do I just make it for one (myself) =) Thanks!
I simply use half the ingredient amounts when I make a single serving 🙂
You could maybe just prepare all the veggies/fruits, minus the liquids, divide it into three (?) equally sized portons and use one with a third of the liquid in the recipes, and then use the other portions later. Not sure if oats and nut butters can be frozen, maybe someone else knows. But it would work for sure with fruit/veggie smoothies. Makes your next smoothies way faster!
And i forgot to add: put the other two in the freezer….
Great tips. Tanayah, please half our recipes if you would like one 16oz serving. 🙂
Tanayah
Try putting your son’s smoothie into a colored glass with a lid and straw so that he can’t see the color.
Yes, would love the nutritional breakdown. And best mixing tool-I have broken many. Thanks
I miss out on so many great things like this due to tree nut allergies. are there any viable substitutions for the almond milk and almond butter?
Rachel,
We have nut allergies at my house. Sunbutter makes a fine substitute for any of the nut butters, and coconut milk works as well, or hemp milk. FYI, unless you have a specific coconut allergy at your house.. it is NOT considered a tree nut, despite the allergy warnings (we have major allergies at my house, so I’m not just spouting info).
Thanks, Sarah + Beth, those are great tips for Rachel. 🙂
Im not allergic to nuts, but I work at a nut-free school, so I usually make my smoothies with coconut milk and either chia seeds or a plain protein powder. Id think they would offer similar protein/healthy fat boosts. While the coconut milk adds a creamier texture, usually I just use water because I’m slightly #lazy haha
Yes, please provide nutritional information for your smoothie recipes. How much protein / fiber / fat / carbs / calories / sugar? True, we could all take the time to hunt this information down individually but it would be a great resource to provide your readers with for each recipe. Thanks for all that you do to keep us healthy – I love being a rawstar junkie!!!
Here’s the break down for the Meal on the Go Smoothie
Nutrition Facts
Servings 2.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 335
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 13 g 20 %
Saturated Fat 1 g 5 %
Monounsaturated Fat 2 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg 0 %
Sodium 191 mg 8 %
Potassium 657 mg 19 %
Total Carbohydrate 50 g 17 %
Dietary Fiber 10 g 39 %
Sugars 22 g
Protein 10 g 19 %
Vitamin A 218 %
Vitamin C 166 %
Calcium 60 %
Iron 17 %
* The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA.
Thanks Sunny. 🙂
Love this.. I have not been a smoothie lover till now thank you …
That’s wonderful!
Hi. I was wondering if it would be possible for you to provide nutritional information for your smoothie recipes like this one? How does it equal a meal? How much protein / fiber / fat / net carbs? This would be an awesome tool to better help align smoothies and/or ingredients with our individual dietary needs. Of course we could all take the time to hunt this information down individually but it would be a great resource to provide your readers with for each recipe or per each “boost”. Thanks for your time!
Thanks for the tip, Nicole. 🙂 We personally don’t count calories, so we don’t include them in our recipes at this time. You’ll find that when you consume more nourishing whole fruits and veggies, you will not only feel full longer, but you’ll also have lessened cravings for high-calorie, nutritionally empty foods. So in the end it balances out. But we know many people would like to have calorie info. Three great resources for tracking calories are Self Nutrition Data and the phone apps My Fitness Pal and Lose It.
I love this one which I already make but never have I added the rolled oats. Will try and share!
Cheers! Thanks for trying!
I LOVE green smoothies! I love them way more than salads, that’s for sure. I was just wondering what are your thoughts on replacing multiple meals with smoothies rather than just one meal a day? I currently do a smoothie for breakfast, but was thinking I could do a smoothie for breakfast and for lunch, to ensure I get the greens in my system without dreading it (i.e. through a salad ;)).
Hey Christie.
This is not a fast or a restrictive diet, so you can eat regular meals during this challenge. We are making healthy lifestyle changes that will last a lifetime! Our goal for you is to drink at least one 2-cup serving green smoothie a day in addition to your regular diet. If you would like, you can replace 1 or 2 meals with green smoothies. If you drink green smoothies as meal replacements, make sure to add a protein boost (plant-based protein powder, nut milk, nut butter), or snack on some nuts or a hard-boiled egg 30-60 minutes after you drink your green smoothie.
Do you use a vitamix? I would think everything could be blended all at one time using one.
Yes, Vitamix can handle it all as once. 🙂
Hi, Do we need to roast and powder the rolled oats or leave it raw
Hey Mallika. Feel free to cook the oats (then chilled) or raw. 🙂